BigMcK wrote:Was at the Ontario Reign Vs. San Francisco Bulls game last night. Thoughts and observations:

* $44.00 for 4 tickets, 4 chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and a soda.* Didn't realize how much I missed watching live hockey until being back in a chilled arena with painted ice and professional players. Also the sound of someone being checked into the boards, skates cutting ice, and player's chirping at each other is best experienced in person.* Not sure why teams in California are in the ECHL.* Devin Setoguchi, with a NHL contract for the Wild at 2.75 Million plays for the Reign. Kind of wondering what he thinks about playing in front of 4,000 people instead of NHL crowds. He has a wickedly mean and accurate wrist shot. While at the same time, rookie Mario Lamoureux earned himself a hat-trick.* Beer was $9.75 for a glass of Stella, Shock Top, Blue Moon. Stupid, crazy expensive. No thanks!* It was really cool to see how many fans had differing Reign jersey's from different charity games.* Before the final five minutes in the third, it turned to Fist Night, with three fights in a row after each puck drop.* The NHL is obviously faster and competitive at a much higher level, but I'll be just fine with a season of minor league hockey at reasonable seat prices closer to the glass.

Sometime in the early 2000s, the old WCHL folded and the ECHL brought on a number of new teams. I believe the Alaska (formerly Anchorage) Aces, Bakersfield, Idaho, and Las Vegas were brought on at this time, although I'm thinking there were probably more than those four. Once those teams were brought on, the then-East Coast Hockey League dropped the full name and went by ECHL, with no meaning behind it.

I have heard that the acronym now refers to "Each Coast Hockey League", by some announcer in a tounge-in-cheek comment. I'm thinkning it was Doc, but not certain.

mikey287 wrote:Bear Trapp and Robin Big Snake, along with Yellow Horn, I believe are all of Inuit or First Nation descent that have noteworthy names that stuck with me for some reason...I think both played in the ECHL a bit...Big Snake was a WHLer a little before Yellow Horn I think...haven't heard either name come up in some time...just random musings, don't mind me...

According to his twitter page, Bear Trapp is now a former hockey player, having last played in Idaho in 2011.

Robin Big Snake was involved in a DUI accident that killed a girl in late 2010. There were rumors that the girl involved jumped in front of the truck, but I'm not spending my Saturday night digging up info on Google. Anyways, based on him being on twitter regularly since last year, I'm guessing he was cleared of charges or they didn't have enough info on the accident besides a BAC.

BigMcK wrote:Was at the Ontario Reign Vs. San Francisco Bulls game last night. Thoughts and observations:

* $44.00 for 4 tickets, 4 chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and a soda.* Didn't realize how much I missed watching live hockey until being back in a chilled arena with painted ice and professional players. Also the sound of someone being checked into the boards, skates cutting ice, and player's chirping at each other is best experienced in person.* Not sure why teams in California are in the ECHL.* Devin Setoguchi, with a NHL contract for the Wild at 2.75 Million plays for the Reign. Kind of wondering what he thinks about playing in front of 4,000 people instead of NHL crowds. He has a wickedly mean and accurate wrist shot. While at the same time, rookie Mario Lamoureux earned himself a hat-trick.* Beer was $9.75 for a glass of Stella, Shock Top, Blue Moon. Stupid, crazy expensive. No thanks!* It was really cool to see how many fans had differing Reign jersey's from different charity games.* Before the final five minutes in the third, it turned to Fist Night, with three fights in a row after each puck drop.* The NHL is obviously faster and competitive at a much higher level, but I'll be just fine with a season of minor league hockey at reasonable seat prices closer to the glass.

Sometime in the early 2000s, the old WCHL folded and the ECHL brought on a number of new teams. I believe the Alaska (formerly Anchorage) Aces, Bakersfield, Idaho, and Las Vegas were brought on at this time, although I'm thinking there were probably more than those four. Once those teams were brought on, the then-East Coast Hockey League dropped the full name and went by ECHL, with no meaning behind it.

There were more than four. Long Beach Ice Dogs, Fresno Falcons and the San Diego Gulls were part of that as well.

Still need to make it to Erie for an Otters game this year. Looking at the London game on Feb. 15th. I've watched several games via LiveStream on the OHL website, but I miss being at that building.

You guys are killing me with the ECHL talk, too. My time as a hockey fan pretty much coincided with the advent of the ECHL - back around 1988-89. I used to go to Erie Panthers games all the time with my uncle...in fact, until 1995, that was the only live hockey I had ever seen. I can remember when the league was just five teams in 88-89 and then eight teams in 89-90. Had some unbelievable rivalry games with Johnstown.

Used to go to the Ice Dogs at the garbage arena in Long Beach all the time. During the 94-95 NHL shortened season, we did weekend road trips to San Diego. Anything to get the hockey fix... Did see the original wood Zamboni at the arena a couple times.

Thankfully Ice Dogs ownership was given an expansion team in the Reign. Nice, new arena not in Long Beach.

The Reign have upped the stakes. $30.00 purchase = (4) four 2 for 1 tickets (total of 8) good any game for center ice seats that normally cost $26 per ticket; (8) eight 2 for 1 vouchers (total of 16 vouchers) for any game, any seat that normally cost from $12 to $26 per ticket, and and $25 gift card for a sports pub down the street.

I have learned that I can get a lot done when not watching hockey. Now one fully renovated living room (floor, walls, ceiling, electricity, the works) and one kitchen exactly to the wife's design/wishes I should be able to buy myself a few years of non-stop hockey (and some good food hopefully too)

k0la wrote:I have learned that I can get a lot done when not watching hockey. Now one fully renovated living room (floor, walls, ceiling, electricity, the works) and one kitchen exactly to the wife's design/wishes I should be able to buy myself a few years of non-stop hockey (and some good food hopefully too)

Shoot, keep the T.V. turned off for the rest of the season and you can add a whole new wing and level to your house.